Build and operate production machine learning training systems on Amazon SageMaker using AWS Trainium. The role focuses on optimizing PyTorch code for Trainium hardware, understanding NeuronCore compilation, diagnosing device-level issues, tuning distributed training for cost and throughput, and delivering production pipelines. The engineer will collaborate directly with client and internal teams in a forward-deployed engineering environment.
Robots & Pencils is an AWS Partner building production AI systems for enterprise clients who need real engineering, not proofs of concept that never ship. We work forward-deployed, embedded directly with client teams, solving the problems that are too new or too specialized for a typical vendor relationship to handle.
The Role
We're looking for an engineer who can operate and train models on Amazon SageMaker running on AWS Trainium, AWS's custom silicon built specifically for large-scale model training. This isn't a role where you call an API and wait. You'll be walking up the stack: understanding what a training request actually looks like at the Trainium hardware and compiler level, then carrying that understanding all the way up through PyTorch training code and into a production SageMaker pipeline.
PyTorch is the backbone of this work. If you know the framework deeply and you're comfortable reasoning about how your code actually behaves on custom accelerator hardware rather than treating it as a black box, this role is built around that skill set specifically.
What You'll Do
- Train and operate models on Amazon SageMaker with AWS Trainium as the underlying compute
- Write and optimize PyTorch training code with a real understanding of how it compiles and executes on Trainium (NeuronCore architecture, compiler behavior, memory and throughput tradeoffs)
- Diagnose training run issues that show up specifically because of the hardware, not just the model, distinguishing a data or code problem from a compiler or device-level one
- Translate a request for "a Trainium job" into an actual working, cost-aware training pipeline, end to end
- Tune distributed training runs for throughput and cost on SageMaker's training infrastructure
- Work directly with client and internal engineering teams to scope and deliver real production training workloads, not experiments that stay in a notebook
What You'll Bring
- Strong, hands-on PyTorch experience, ideally including distributed or multi-device training
- Production experience with Amazon SageMaker for training and/or inference
- Comfort working close to the hardware layer: you understand device-specific compilation and can debug issues that are actually about the accelerator, not just the model
- AWS Trainium or Inferentia (Neuron SDK) experience is a strong plus; if you don't have it yet but have deep PyTorch and a track record of picking up new hardware targets fast, we want to talk to you
- Solid Python fundamentals and comfort operating in a client-facing, production engineering environment
Robots & Pencils Bellevue, Washington, USA Office
800 Bellevue Way NE, Suite 500 , Bellevue, United States, 98004
Similar Jobs
Cloud • Information Technology • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
Partner with sales teams to win strategic data security opportunities. Present technical solutions, gather customer requirements, lead product evaluations, configure solutions, and design evaluation test plans. The role requires extensive pre-sales experience, security and networking expertise, data protection and web technology knowledge, and collaboration across matrixed go-to-market and partner teams.
Top Skills:
Ai ToolsCybersecurityData ProtectionNetworkingSaaSSaseWeb TechnologiesZscaler Zero Trust Exchange
Cloud • Information Technology • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
Leads and grows a regional commercial sales engineering organization supporting Zscaler’s core and Gen AI portfolios. Recruits, mentors, and develops sales engineers; scales discovery, technical qualification, and proof-of-concept processes; partners with sales leaders, customers, product management, and engineering; and presents value-based cybersecurity and networking solutions to drive revenue in a matrixed go-to-market environment.
Top Skills:
CybersecurityGenerative AiNetworkingSaaSSaseZscaler Zero Trust Exchange
AdTech • Agency • Artificial Intelligence • Digital Media • Marketing Tech • Social Media • PropTech
Manage a portfolio of local SEO campaigns across multifamily and rental property accounts. Execute technical, on-site, off-site, local, and content SEO; conduct website audits; manage Google Business Profile, GTM, and Search Console; analyze performance and ROI; identify visibility trends; provide client recommendations; and coordinate implementation, documentation, testing, and process improvements.
Top Skills:
Ai IntegrationsGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Business ProfileGoogle Search ConsoleGoogle Tag ManagerSeo
What you need to know about the Seattle Tech Scene
Home to tech titans like Microsoft and Amazon, Seattle punches far above its weight in innovation. But its surrounding mountains, sprinkled with world-famous hiking trails and climbing routes, make the city a destination for outdoorsy types as well. Established as a logging town before shifting to shipbuilding and logistics, the Emerald City is now known for its contributions to aerospace, software, biotech and cloud computing. And its status as a thriving tech ecosystem is attracting out-of-town companies looking to establish new tech and engineering hubs.
Key Facts About Seattle Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 287,000; 13% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Google
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, software, biotechnology, game development
- Funding Landscape: $3.1 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Madrona, Fuse, Tola, Maveron
- Research Centers and Universities: University of Washington, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
